TheSamba.com :: View topic - The Aluminum Falcon Flies! (a rebuild story)

Sun Aug 16, 2009 4:50 pm

Ok, so I bought a '73 Westy on July 3, 2009 for $600 bucks.
My kid named it Biscuit, I named it The Aluminum Falcon (robot chicken: star wars).

When I got it.

So, I have not really done too much to the bus since I got it.

First thing I did was paint it to cause it is at my Mom's, which is 15 miles away, and it was an eye sore. Also to protect the metal until I had everything I needed to do all the body work.
-Rockers
-Nose Piece
-Battery Tray

The first paint was Top Sail Blue. Very Smurfy! (slightly blurred for your eye protection)

It was way too bright, so I decided to take it down a little.
(not finished yet, that was only one coat)

When I do finish all the body stuff, I'm going to return it to Pastel White.

So, today it was a little cooler out, so my uncle Carl came over and we got it running, and I drove it for the first time. (see video)

This will be the thread I will maintain as I progress.

Thanks for everyone's help on TheSamba.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:36 pm

Good start there Aiken!

Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:39 pm

that was real cool,i like how you pull out of that barn i was waiting for you to hit second gear in the grass.what year is it.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:41 pm

sorry i didnt see you said it was a 1973 bus .the same year i have.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:43 pm

Sweet bus dude.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:47 pm

Good job man! I have to settle for sitting in my garage making vrroom vrroom noises. Thank god for a good imagination cuz I'd go nuts waiting to get as far as you.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 5:56 pm

Thanks guys.

My uncle Carl works for a race team, so I have some experience in my corner. I want to do most of the work myself, and go to him when I need help.

Next weekend I'll do a compression test, and then we're going to drop the motor, and take it to his shop so I can work on it.

After that I'll have the shell to do all the body work.

I want to re do all the:

-fuel lines
-brakes
-check all the wiring
-strip and por 15 (or something equal to it) the underside and interior floor

and much much more.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 6:00 pm

bugsy72 wrote: i was waiting for you to hit second gear in the grass.

I wussed out. Mainly cause I had a fuel can feeding the engine right above the hatch and the battery sitting there too.

Had bad gas in the tank. It's been drained, and when I take the engine out, I'll look in it to see what shape it's in.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 6:00 pm

I've just finished doing alot of that crap. I used 1qt of por15 already and it was @60.00. I bought this stuff called "chassis Black" for 35.00 a qt and it's identical. At least it's sticking to my hands, clothes and floor like the por15 did.......Save the $$$$$ where you can because it adds up fast.

Sun Aug 16, 2009 8:48 pm

who makes the other stuff?

Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:30 am

Very cool Ron! I was wondering why you didn't shift either, but it all makes sense now. BTW, drop the gangsta pose :lol: :lol: .

Rust Bullet is what I use, cheaper than POR-15, and comes in a few different colors. Works well!

Mon Aug 17, 2009 9:44 am

Now you'll have to take it down and meet up with our sister group ATWV (All Things VW) in Augusta.

Lookin' good.

Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:50 am

I wish my horn worked. Nice work on your bus.

Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:44 am

71_georgia_beetle wrote: Now you'll have to take it down and meet up with our sister group ATWV (All Things VW) in Augusta.

Lookin' good.

How do I find them? All the websites I found were out of date or defunct.

stuco wrote: I wish my horn worked. Nice work on your bus.
My horn is connected to a black and silver button on the dash.

Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:27 pm

stuco wrote: I wish my horn worked. Nice work on your bus.
My horn is connected to a black and silver button on the dash.[/quote]

That's not a bad idea. How did you wire it in?

Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:31 pm

Didn't, PO did. I'll take a pic next time I go over there.

I know I need to go over all the wires cause the driver's side headlight wires are going out the clutch pedal hole.

Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:35 pm

stuco wrote: stuco wrote: I wish my horn worked. Nice work on your bus.
My horn is connected to a black and silver button on the dash.

That's not a bad idea. How did you wire it in?[/quote]

One wire goes to a ground and the other to the horn. Power to the horn is left as is, if I remember correctly. I had one on my 71 bus, when the rubber donut came loose on the steering column and grounded the column.

Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:30 pm

Here is that horn button. Don't know what I'm going to do about it.

Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:34 pm

Ron,
I mounted mine on the column, as it was closer to my driving hands... :lol:
But it did end up being a good location and alternative until I could get the donut replaced.

Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:12 pm

Since I don't have an emblem, I thought I'd make my own.

It is The Aluminum Falcon.